Vaulting pole



April 12, 1938. R CARPENTER 2,113,826

Filed April '12, 1955 l I I I 1 I l I l l I 1 I I IL l l lll INVENTOR. v E 01am? 1'', EAEPL-WTER.

Patented A r.12,193e 2,113,826

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VAULTINGPOLE Robert F. Carpenter, Cleveland, Ohio Application April 12, 1935. Serial No. 16,103

2 Claims. (o1. 272-59) This invention relates to an improved form of tions l are indicated by reference numeral 3 and vaulting pole. the shoulders serve as a means of reinforcement Heretofore, vaulting poles have been formed of for the upper part of the pole which in effect is wood and they have necessarily been of comparathus given a tapering form.

5 tively large diameter in order to prevent splinter- The top end of the pole is closed by the cap 4 ing or' breaking and the consequent danger of which is inserted into the open end of the tubular injury tothe athlete. Furthermore, solid wooden pole and riveted in place while the bottom end of poles of such large diameter are quite heavy and the pole is closed in like manner by means of awkward to handle. the cap insert 5. It will be observed that these '10 It is therefore the object of the present invenend closures are of convex form on their ends tion to provide a vaulting pole of light weight so as to provide rounded top and bottom ends for metal of hollow tubular form which will possess the pole. sufiiciently large diameter throughout the bottom In one specific instance of construction, as a part thereof and which maybe formed of reduced means of illustrating the manner in which the diameter in the top part thereof so as to afford present invention may be employed, I have pro- 15 proper balance and facilitate handling of the vided a hollow tube of aluminum alloy, the wall same and which is also suitably reinforced. of which is .058 inch in thickness. The outer di- A further object is to devise a vaulting pole ameter of the bottom part 2 thereof is 1.750 of hollow tubular form which throughout the 'upinches, and the first reduced cylindrical portion per part thereof is swaged so as to produce a l which adjoins the bottom part 2 of the pole is 0 2O virtually tapering form throughout the upper 1.736 inches in diameter while the next cylinpart with the diameter reduced toward the upper drical portion I is 1.723 inches in diameter and end so as to facilitate handling of the same and the next cylindrical portion l is 1.704 inches in at the same time to aiford means of reinforcing diameter, etc., to the top end of the vaulting pole.

the same. In this particular instance, the bottom part 2 of 25 Other objects will appear from the following the pole which is of uniform diameter is of eight description and claims when considered together (8) feet in extent while the swaged part of the with the accompanying drawing. pole comprises a succession of sixteen (16) cylin- Fig. 1 illustrates a vaulting pole which is condrical portions of seven (7) inches each in length,

structed in accordance with my invention and aggregating nine (9) feet and four (4) inches, 30

which is broken in length for convenience in iland, the uppermost reduced portion of the pole lustration; V which is eight (8) inches in length and has an Fig. 2 is a partial view of the top end portion outer diameter of 1.500 inches. of my improved vaulting pole with part broken As above stated, it is to be understood that the away; present invention is not limited to the specific 35 Fig. 3 is a similar view of the bottom end pormeasurements just recited but that this specific tion thereof; and instance is described in detail merely for the Fig. 4 is a partial view illustrating in section purpose of explaining the actual construction of the swaged form of my improved vaulting pole one particular form of the present invention. 40 throughout the upper part thereof. The swaging of the pole may extend through- 40 It is to be understood that the present discloout a greater or less portion thereof than is heresure is merely for purposes of illustration and in illustrated and the swaged sections may be of that various modifications may be made without greater or less length and the difference between departing from the spirit of the present inventhe diameters of the successive swaged sections tion as herein set forth and claimed. may also be greater or less than that herein il- 5 In the construction of my present improved lustrated. form of vaulting pole, a hollow cylindrical tube Thus, with my invention, it is possible to proof aluminum alloy or other suitable light weight duce a vaulting pole which may have a bottom metal is swaged throughout the upper part therepart of comparatively large diameter and 1nof so as to form the successive cylindrical porcreased strength while the upper part thereof 50 tions I which are of gradually reduced diameter may have a virtually tapering form so as to aftoward the top end of the, pole while the bottom ford proper balance and facilitate handling by end portion 2 of the pole is of uniform cylindrithe athlete while at the same time the upper part cal form throughout the extent thereof. The is afforded substantial reinforcement by the shoulders between the successive cylindrical porswaged. form which is given thereto. 55

My improved form of vaulting pole may thus be made of such dimensions as will afford greatly increased dependability as well as an extreme degree of safety for the athlete while at the same time the weight of this Vaulting pole will be sufficiently light and suitably balanced to facilitate skillful handling by the athlete. It also possesses the proper degree of whip.

Furthermore, my invention permits ready manufacturing of vaulting poles without any uncertainty as to the quality of material; there is pre-' cluded the inherent danger of faulty material, and there is also eliminated the difficulty of obtaining wood suitable for this purpose.

A pole made according to my invention may be kept by the athlete throughout his entire career and the pole will always feel familiar to him which can not be true in the case of wooden poles which are being continually replaced and no two of which are exactly the same.

diameter throughout substantially one-half the entire extent thereof, and having the upper part thereof swaged into successive cylindrical sections of gradually reduced diameters towards and including the top end thereof, and a cap closuresecured within each of the two ends thereof.

ROBERT F. CARPENTER. 

